Humans are animals. We
evolved alongside all the other species that inhabit Earth. We have gone a lot
further than any other species yes, but traced back long enough in time, we as
well come from that one cell that planted the tree of life. Over eons, this
common ancestor spawned us and all the species we see around us today, as well
as numerous others who became extinct as some, like ourselves, grew to
prominence. The anthropic principle and evolution at work. But it seems today
that we have risen so far from the primordial soup that we have a severe case
of delusional grandeur about these lumps of meat that we inhabit. We somehow
think that we are different from animals. We are created in the eyes of a God
who is greater than any being on Earth. We are his chosen species and all
others are seemingly just here for our entertainment and consumption. We are
better than these animals. Humans know how to behave civilized. We have
emotions that make us capable of compassion and pity. More poetically; we have
heart. We also automatically treat each other with respect and equality, we
have morals. In contrast, animals are crude beings acting only on impulse,
living violent and tough lives fighting for existence and just living
day-by-day trying to survive. But are we really that different from them?
I am not disputing our
superiority towards animals, I think several previous posts have made that
abundantly clear. (See for instance Playing the Game of Evolution) I am however disputing human tendency to think of ourselves
as anything but animals, albeit a more sophisticated one. Humans are just as
much an animal as any other living being on this planet. Animals have emotions
too. In fact, they are completely controlled by their emotions and impulses,
these are necessary in their survival. This is also the origin of our emotions.
Fear makes us avoid danger. Love makes us procreate. Anger makes us destroy our
enemies or those who threaten us. Although they exist in a more instinctual and
primitive form in animals due to their lesser intelligence, these basic
emotions, the very tools that made us evolve into who we are and remain with us
today at our more elevated position on the evolutionary ladder, are the same
that guide the animals in their daily struggle to survive. So in reality, these
emotions are not what makes us human. In fact, they are what makes us animals,
a remnant of our more primitive animal ancestry. In contrast, what actually makes
us human is our reason. Our ability to reason is something the animals do not
possess and this is why we are the current superior species. It is reason that
governs and controls our actions, not emotions. Emotions do the opposite. They
are constantly fighting against reason, to make it relinquish control and make
us give in to our more animalistic side. But if we did that, then we would
regress back to a more primitive state, like our animal relatives. But reason
keeps our emotions in check. Most of the time. This is what most people fail to
understand. They think morality and compassion are something inherent in the
human nature infused into our soul by God or some other celestial being.
Because of that they are repeatedly appalled when they are confronted with the
true human nature: animal nature. As it is still embedded into our being, it
occasionally still shows its face. Usually with severe consequences. To be
developed.
No comments:
Post a Comment